Commercial insurance agent and Caerusnet Facilitator, Chaz Carrillo, has been working a consistent plan to grow the Lansing Wednesday morning “Green Team” with quality businesses over the past couple of years. If you visit Chaz’s Caerusnet Lansing team, hosted at the Fox47 TV news station, you will likely be greeted by Chaz with his warm smile while wearing his trademark bow-tie. There will likely also be Drake music playing chill in the background before he starts his meeting. Chaz is fun, productive and is also a family man, happily married with many young children. The Lansing Green Team has remarkable synergy and it’s not surprising as Chaz has a reputation for being a networking guru, impossibly being everywhere at one time in Lansing, and is quickly becoming one of the most connected and respected networkers in the region.

Note: Chaz became a Caerusnet Facilitator as a referral from business coach, Tom Hamp to Steven Zyskowki, Founder of Caerusnet. Tom is also the successful Facilitator of a legacy Lansing Caerusnet team that meets Tuesday afternoons.

We had a chance to visit with the award winning MVP Facilitator to glean his expertise on the wild world of referral passing. Here’s what we learned from Chaz …

How long have you been in your profession?
I jumped into insurance about four years ago. Before this I was running a construction company as the VP of Operations and Sales.

How did you get into this field?
By accident. I was looking at starting a company or purchasing a business when insurance was found. Insurance gives me the opportunity to focus on working with local business owners and help people understand a product they rarely know about but are required to purchase.

What is the best thing about your business/career?
Helping people.

What is it about the Caerusnet model that you like most?
Flexibility and control as a Facilitator. I feel like the Caerusnet model is a chassis of a car with the engine being the Facilitator. And how you build that car is depends on the engine. You have the benefit of a solid chassis and the customization depending your personality and strengths and weaknesses as a Facilitator.

Could you share a success story about why giving referrals/bringing visitors is beneficial to you?
Identifying good and bad relationships and helping others is very self serving. As a professional being a resource to other professionals and clients as the “go-to” person to help them not only in your field but in many, is a great asset. A network of quality people speaks volumes to all the people around you, not only in who you know but also the quality of the work you do, attracting like-minded individuals.

Any tips on learning how to find situations where you can create a referral or invite a visitor?
Ask good questions. Listen to what people are saying and don’t try to fix their problems, try to define it. Quality questions tell people a couple of things. 1. Your listening to them. 2. You care about what they are saying. 3. You’re interested in their success.

What is your strategy with your member minute and your spotlight presentation?
Make it simple. Make it specific. Make it fun. Don’t forget your ask.

What is your approach to positioning yourself as a resource in the community?
Be a resource. Some people mascaraed around trying to be known as “the person”. Instead, first try to truly be a resource in the community, and then after you start marketing some of the things you’re working on to further their success. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not. Focus on knowing yourself and playing to your strengths and getting better at your weaknesses. Much like a business, you get better or you get worse, no one ever stays the same.

Tips on how to be successful in Caerusnet?
Show up. Be prepared to do your minute. Listen hard to others to be a resource to the team. Be consistent in Trust Builders regularly with the team. Invite visitors to check it out, not to join. If you do half of these you will have a very positive benefit in your Caerusnet Membership.

Share how your Caerusnet members have positively influenced you or your business besides passing referrals.
My team is amazing. We are a positive and professional team. Focused on quality professionals and quality business referrals. The meeting is enjoyable and something I look forward to every week. The members are engaged and hold themselves accountable to quality time during our meetings and meeting others outside of or weekly team times.

What is it about facilitating a referral team that you hope to accomplish, professionally?
For the team, I want to max out my team with 30 awesome Members! We currently only have three spots left so we are very close. Personally, I would like to write 50 new policies coming from my referral team next year in 2019. But that’s an internal goal, so don’t tell anybody.

If you would like to connect with Chaz Carrillo, find his contact info. here by clicking on theFacilitator directory.